Reversing water jet steering nozzle



Nov. 20, 1962 J. w. GOEHLER 3,064,420

REVERSING WATER JET STEERING NOZZLE Filed Aug. 5, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. 5

Joe W Goeh/er 1 N VEN TOR.

BY flzmaoi ib...

WWW 3% Nov. 20, 1962 .1. w. GOEHLER 3,064,420

REVERSING WATER JET STEERING NQZZLE Filed Aug. 3, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Joe W Gash/er INVENTOR.

v i 3, BY e way 5 United States Patent Gfifice Patented Nov. 29, 1952 3,064,420 V REVERSENG WATER JET STEERING NQZZLE Joe W. Goehler, 5915 SW. Burma Road, Lake Grove, ()reg. Filed Aug. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 12%,251 6 Claims. (U. 6ll35.55)

This invention relates to a novel and useful reversing water jet steering nozzle and is specifically adapted for use on the discharge end of a water jet conduit such as that used in directing a rearward high pressure and high velocity flow of water through a boat transom.

in recent years it has been found that by utilizing an inboard engine in a motor boat and coupling the inboard engine with a water pump having a suitable water inlet in the bottom of the boat and a suitable water outlet directed rearwardly of the transom of the boat, the boat may be propelled at high speeds with a minimum amount of power. The water intake for the water pump of water jet propelled boats is usually flush with the bottom of the boat and the drag of the boat 'on the water While travelling at hi h speeds is appreciably reduced inasmuch as there is no propulsion unit depending below the bottom surfaces of the boat. Most water jet propelled boats are provided with planing hulls rather than displacement hulls and therefore the elimination of any depending propulsion unit greatly increases the speed which may be obtained with the boat from a given amount of horsepower.

Although a water jet boat may be provided with a conventional depending rudder so that the boat may be steered by means of water impinging upon the rudder when inclined relative to the direction of movement of the boat, even the relatively narrow depending and streamlined rudder creates appreciable drag when the boat is travelling at high speeds. Accordingly, it is the main object of this invention to provide a means whereby the rearwardly directed jet of water being utilized to propel the boat may be deflected to one side or the other of the longitudinal center line of the boat in order that the boat may be steered without the provision of 21 depending rudder.

Another important object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a water jet steering nozzle provided with means for completely blocking the discharge of water from the outlet of the water pump of a water jet propelled heat.

A still further important object of this invention, in accordance with the preceding object, is to provide a water jet steering nozzle provided with means for deflecting the rearwardly directed jet of water from the water pump in a forwardly and downwardly inclined direction whereby the boat may also be propelled in a reverse direction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a water jet steering nozzle which may be utilized to angulate the forwardly and downwardly directed jet of water effected by the reversing position of the water jet steering nozzle to opposite sides of a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal center line of the boat whereby the boat may also be steered when being propelled in reverse.

A final object to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a reversing water jet steering nozzle for a water jet conduit which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to opcrate so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and ope atio-n as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken through a transom of a boat provided with a water jet conduit projecting therethrough with the reversing water jet steering nozzle of the instant invention shown mounted upon the outlet end of the water jet conduit;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional View of the assemblage illustrated in FIGURE 1 and taken substantially upon the plane passing through the center of the reversing water jet steering nozzle, the water jet steering nozzle being shown in elevation and with the water throttling and directional baflle means disposed in a position to completely block the discharge of water from the outlet end of the water jet conduit;

FIGURE 3 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 33 of FIGURE 2 and with alternate positions of the reversing water jet steering nozzle shown in phantom lines;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View similar to that of FIGURE 2 but showing the water throttling and directional baflle means disposed in a position to enable straight through discharge of the jet of water emitting from the outlet end of the water jet conduit; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to that of FIGURES 2 and 5 but showing the water throttling and directional bafile means disposed in a position to deflect the rearward discharge of water from the water jet conduit forwardly and downwardly in order to propel the boat in a reverse direction.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a boat which includes a bottom 12, a transom 14 and a side 16. The boat it is provided with suitable prime mover means (not shown) drivingly connected to a water pump (not shown) which is provided with an inlet appropriately positioned in the boat 10 and with an outlet comprising the water jet conduit which is generally referred to by the reference numeral 18. The water jet conduit 18 includes a truncated cone shaped reduction neck 25 which terminates rearwardly in a constant diameter outlet neck 22.

The outlet neck 22 extends rearwardly through an opening 24 formed in the transom 14- and through a grommet 26 which is secured through the opening 24.

The steering nozzle assembly of the instant invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 28 and includes a discharge nozzle generally referred to by the reference numeral 39. With attention now directed to FlGURES 3 and 4 of the drawings it will be noted that the discharge nozzle has the forward end of a flexible conduit 32 secured thereto by means of a mounting collar generally referred to by reference numeral 34. The forward end of the discharge nozzle 36 is externally threaded as at 36 and the mounting collar is internally threaded as at 38. The threads 38 are of larger diameter than the threads 36 and the forward end of the flexible conduit 32 is clampingly engaged between the confronting threads 36 and 33. The mounting collar 36 is provided with a pair of mounting arms 49 and 4-2 which are each suitably apertured as at 44. A second mounting collar generally referred to by reference numeral 46 is internally threaded as at 48 and is also provided with a pair of mounting arms which are referred to by the reference numerals 5d and 52 and are suitably apertured as at 54. The apertures 54 are internally threaded for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully set forth and it will be observed that the outlet neck 22 is externally threaded as at 54 in a manner similar to the inlet end of the discharge nozzle 3d. The forward end of the flexible conduit 32 is clampingly engaged between the confronting threads d8 and 50. The outlet nozzle 22 is mounted rigidly relative to the boat 10 and accordingly, the mounting collar 46 is also rigidly mounted. Corresponding bores 44 and 54 are aligned and a pivot pin 56 is passed through the bore 44 disposed lowermost on the discharge nozzle 30 and is threadedly engaged in the corresponding bore 54 formed in the mounting collar 46.

The discharge nozzle 3%? includes an arcuate slide guide generally referred to by reference numeral 58 which curves upwardly and rearwardly away from the outlet of the discharge nozzle 3i} and terminates in a generally horizontal flange or arm 60 which is suitably apcrtured as at 62. A headed pivot bolt is passed through the apertures 62 and through the bore 44. The threaded shank portion 64 of the pivot bolt 62 is threadedly engaged in the uppermost bore 54 whereby the discharge nozzle 3%) is pivotally secured to the outlet neck 22 for movement about a vertical axis extending through the longitudinal center line of the outlet nozzle 22.

A spacing sleeve 66 is disposed about the portion of the pivot bolts 62 disposed between the arms 40 and 60 and maintains a minimum spatial relationship between the arms 44) and 60. The end face of the discharge nozzle 30 is transversely arcuate and forms a continuation of the arcuate slide guide 56 which may be seen in FIGURE 3 as including a pair of arcuate longitudinally extending and laterally directed guide flanges 68 and 70.

A water throttling and directional baffle means in the form of a hollow elongated shoe generally referred to by reference numeral 72 is provided with laterally directed and longitudinally extending arcuate U-shaped flanges 74- .and 76 which form pockets to slidably receive the flanges 68 and 70 respectively. In this manner, the shoe 72 is mounted on the discharge nozzle for sliding movement transversely ofthe longitudinal center-line of the nozzle 39.

The flanges 63 and 70 are each provided with longitudinal grooves in which there are disposed sealing strips 80 for forming a water-tight seal between the hollow shoe 72 and the slide guide 53. The shoe 72 is curved longitudinally to conform to the arcuate contour of the slide guide 58 and is provided with a closure end wall 82 on its upper end. The lower end of the shoe 72 is open as at 84 and the forward wall 86 has an opening 88 formed therein immediately adjacent the closure end wall 82. It will be noted that the imperforate portion of the forward wall 86 is of sufficient length to completely block the discharge end of the discharge nozzle 39 when positioned as illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. In this position, the discharge water from the water jet conduit 3%) is completely stopped. The shoe 72 is provided with an apertured ear 91'} on its upper end to which one end of the. core 92 of a Bowden cable generally referred to by reference numeral 94 is secured. The rear end of the jacket 96 of the Bowden cable 94 may be secured through the transom 14 by means of a suitable grommet 98, see FIGURE 5, and the core 92 may be manipulated to effect longitudinal movement of the shoe 72. If the shoe 72 is raised from the position illustrated in FIGURE of the drawings the discharge of water from the outlet nozzle 22 is unrestricted and is therefore directed rearwardly through the discharge nozzle 30. This rearward jet of water will propel the boat in a forward direction. If it is desired to steer the boat 10, the flexible cables 1% and 102 may be manipulated to pivot the discharge nozzle 3% about the longitudinal axis of the pivot pin 56 and a pivot bolt 62 whereupon the rearward discharge of water through the outlet nozzle 22 will be laterally directed to one side or the other of a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal center line of the boat 10.

i If the shoe 72 is then lowered from a position illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings to the position illustrated V in FIGURE 6 of the drawings, the opening 88 will be registered with the outlet end of the discharge nozzle 39 whereupon the water being emitted from the discharge nozzle 30 will have to egress from the shoe 72 through the lower open end 84 thereof in which case the jet of water will be directed forwardly and downwardly in order to propel the boat 10 in a rearward direction.

It will be noted that each of the mounting collars 34 and 46 comprise upper and lower half sections for facilitating the securement of the mounting collars about the discharge nozzle 3% and the outlet nozzle 22. The respective halves of the mounting collars 34 and 46 are secured together by means of suitable fasteners 104.

In operation, when it is desired to start the prime mover of the boat 10, the shoe 72 may be moved to the position illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 4 of the drawings. Then, the operation of the prime mover and the pump which is connected thereto will not immediately effect a rearward discharge of water from the discharge nozzle 36. If it is desired to then move the boat It forwardly, the shoe 72 may be moved to the position illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings and the rearward discharge of water may be directed to one side or the other by manipulating the flexible cables 1% and 1&2 in order to pivot the discharge nozzle 30 about the longitudinal axes of the pivot pin and the pivot bolt 62. Then, should it be desired to stop the boat 10 or to operate the boat 19 in a reverse direction, the shoe 72 may be moved to the position illustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawings. When the shoe 72 is positioned as illustrated in FIGURE 6, the discharge nozzle 30 may still be pivoted about the longitudinal axes of the pivot pin 56 and the pivot bolt 62 in order to steer the boat 16 while being propelled in reverse.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur t those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a water jet conduit, a reversing water jet steering nozzle, said steering nozzle comprising a discharge nozzle having means on its forward inlet end secured to the outlet end of said water jet con duit, water throttling and directional baffle means movably mounted on the rear end of said discharge nozzle for selectively eflecting at least partial restriction of the rearward discharge of water from said discharge nozzle, deflecting the normal rearward discharge of water from said discharge nozzle for discharge in a direction opposite to the movement of water into said discharge nozzle, and affording substantially unrestricted rearward discharge of water from said discharge nozzle, said securing means including means mounting said discharge nozzle on said water jet conduit for pivotal movement about an axis extending transversely of said water jet conduit, and flexible conduit means secured to the forward inlet end of said discharge nozzle at its rear end and to the rear outlet end of said water jet conduit at its forward end.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said water throttling and directional bafile means also includes means for selectively substantially completely blocking the rearward discharge of water from said discharge nozzle.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said water throttling and directional baffle means is mounted for reciprocating movement on said discharge nozzle.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said water throttling and directional baflle means includes means for successively affording unrestricted rearward discharge of water from said discharge nozzle, effecting complete stoppage of discharge of water from said discharge nozzle and deflecting the normal rearward discharge of water from said discharge nozzle in a direction opposite to the movement of water into said discharge nozzle upon move- 5 ment of said water throttling and directional baffie means in one direction and vice versa upon subsequent movement of said water throttling and directional baffie means in the other direction.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said water throttling and directional battle means comprises a hollow elongated shoe mounted for longitudinal movement in a direction transversely of the outlet end of said discharge nozzle and in sealing engagement therewith, means closing said shoe at one end, an opening in the side of said shoe overlying the outlet of said discharge nozzle registerable with said discharge nozzle outlet, said side of said shoe also including an imperforate portion registerable with said discharge nozzle outlet.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said hollow shoe is longitudinally curved.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 216,140 Brewer et a1. June 3, 1879 2,797,659 Haase et a1. July 2, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 1330/1879 Great Britain Oct. 3, 1879 OTHER REFERENCES Robberson, Yachting magazine article, vol. 106, No. 5, pages 70-41, Wet Jet Propulsion, November 1959. 

